Pest who plagued a scared woman for over three years is threatened with jail

Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Jon Cooper

Published:12:58Tuesday 26 June 2018

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A deluded pest who plagued a woman - who was left fearing for her safety - has been warned that if he breaches a five-year restraining order he faces going to jail.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, June 20, how John Jan Votruba, 37, made phone calls, sent Facebook messages, letters and gifts to the complainant in Hathersage between July, 2014, and January, 2018.

Chairman of the magistrates’ bench, Norman Shaw, told Votruba: “The lady involved has been forced to change her life because of these messages and this is not the way to live.

“She didn’t know you. She didn’t understand who you were or what your intentions may have been and she was in fear of you and your intentions.

“What you have done has had a very serious impact on this lady. Warnings from her didn’t stop you. The warnings were plain and yet you still repeated contacting her.

“Therefore, we are putting a restraining order in place.”

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop explained the complainant did not even know the defendant but they shared similar friends on Facebook.

Mrs Allsop said: “She received a random message in 2014. It was a confusing message and she did not reply to it.

“Following a number of further messages over a period of time, she described on December 21, last year, how this defendant left another voicemail message on her beauty salon landline asking for a private number and wanting to bring her a Christmas present.”

Police advised the complainant to reply and tell Votruba not to contact her after contact had also involved two email addresses including a profile of the defendant’s girlfriend.

The complainant messaged these accounts warning the defendant she would go to police again but she would allow one reply to confirm he had received this warning, according to Mrs Allsop.

However, Mrs Allsop said Votruba sent a message asking for them to chat and the complainant replied saying he was scaring her and she warned if he contacted her one more time he would be in serious trouble with police.

But jobless Votruba contacted her again asking if they could chat via Facebook, according to Mrs Allsop.